Consumers in Europe looking for a Mac Pro are now out of luck, at least when trying to buy one online.

Apple's online stores in the U.K., Italy, Germany, France, and other European countries show all three editions of the Mac Pro as "currently unavailable."

The news isn't exactly a surprise. Apple told European retailers and distributors last month that it would stop selling the Mac Pro come March 1 due to new safety regulations. The regulations impose certain electrical requirements, and the Mac Pro's ports and fans aren't in compliance.

The regulations affect 27 different countries in the European Union. Apple did have until March 1 to curtail sales of the Mac Pro across Europe, so it's not clear why the company jumped the gun a bit early. The new safety regulations affect only Europe, so the Mac Pro is still available at Apple's online stores in the U.S, Japan, and other non-European countries.

The Mac Pro is the only Apple product that runs afoul of the new safety regulations. Beyond a couple of minor changes last year, Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro in more than two years. Last June, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an update for the high-powered desktop in 2013, saying that we're "working on something really great for later next year."

Apple could even have a Mac Pro refresh in stores sooner than later. Earlier this month, two online publications in France reported that a French reseller received word from Apple that a new Mac Pro lineup would debut this spring.

CNET contacted Apple for comment and will update the story if the company responds.

About the author

Journalist, software trainer, and Web developer Lance Whitney writes columns and reviews for CNET, Computer Shopper, Microsoft TechNet, and other technology sites. His first book, "Windows 8 Five Minutes at a Time," was published by Wiley & Sons in November 2012.
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